Work holding fixture for foil stamping machines



Dec. 6, 1955 K|NGSLEY 2,725,817

WORK HOLDING FIXTURE FOR FOIL STAMPING MACHINES Filed June 2, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 1 v 6"\L m j 6 xf 27 Q m J5 a 29 29 a0 J an 22 24 3 j 3 A,25' 2/ e 1210! j INVENTOR. F28. 1 1 M/s ,4. /f//v6's. V

Dec. 6, 1955 L. A. KINGSLEY 2,725,817

WORK HOLDING FIXTURE FOR FOIL STAMPING MACHINES Filed June 2, 1952 2Sheets-Sheet 2 as 29 2s \wmmmmmm FIG/.8 2/ a/ 4 4/ 13 I Q Q L f a v 4 wa INVENTOR.

A T 70 ENE/J United States Patent Patented Dec. 6, 1955 WORK HOLDINGFIXTURE FOR FOIL STANIPING MACHINES Lewis A. Kingsley, Los Angeles,Calif. Application June 2, 1952, Serial No. 291,222

9 Claims. (Cl. 101-41) My invention relates to work holding fixture fora foil stamping machine, and included in the objects of my inventionare:

First, to provide a device of this class which is particularly adaptedto guide and hold wire rods or tubing whereby identifying indicia or thelike may be stamped at spaced points, said device incorporating meanswhich may be quickly adjusted to handle material of different diameters.

Second, to provide a device of this class which is capable of handlingwire of the smallest diameter that may permit imprinting of legibleindicia.

Third, to provide a device of this class which is capable of use witheither manually operated or motor operated foil stamping machines.

Fourth, to provide a device of this class which may be quickly set inplace or removed from the foil stamping machine to permit use of themachine for other purposes.

With the above and other objects in view as may appear hereinafter,reference is directed to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a side view of a foil stamping machine showing my workholding fixture in place.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view taken from the line 2-2 ofFigure 1, showing particularly the work holding fixture and its relationto the stamping die.

Figure 3 is a plan view taken along the line 33 of Figure 1 showing thework holding fixture.

Figure 4 is a rear elevational view of the work holding fixture removedfrom the foil stamping machine and taken from the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the work holding fixturetaken through 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken through 66 ofFigure 5.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the anvil employed to hold tubing.

Figure 8 is a sectional view similar to Figure 5 showing an anvil suitedfor holding a small diameter wire.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary, enlarged transverse sectional View of theanvil shown in Figure 7.

Figure 10 is a sectional view similar to Figures 5 and 8 showing amodified form of the anvil with a guard plate thereover.

Figure 11 is a plan view thereof with a portion of the guard platebroken away.

Figure 12 is a transverse sectional view thereof taken through 12-12 ofFigure 11.

My work holding fixture may be used with a manual or a motor drivenstamping machine. For purposes of illustration, my work holding fixtureis shown in conjunction with a manually operated foil stamping machine.Such a machine comprises a base 1 from which extends a gooseneck bracket2, terminating in a vertically disposed head 3 which carries a ram 4.The ram may be provided with a rack for engagement by a gear, not shown,but adapted to be actuated by an operating lever 5 to cause verticalmovement of the ram 4 to and from the base 1. The lower end of the ramis provided with a type or die-receiving head 6 slotted at its undersideto receive a type or die holder 7. A suitable electric heater 8 isattached to the head 6 for the purpose of heating the type or die 9which projects downwardly from the type holder 7. The temperature of theheater may be controlled by a suitable regulator 10 conveniently mountedat one side of the bracket 2.

Supported under the bracket 2 is a foil supply drum 11 which carries aribbon foil 12 adapted to extend under the type 9 and into a ratchetfeed device 13 arranged to advance the foil under the type uponreciprocation of the ram.

The structure so far described may be considered as conventional.

My work holding fixture includes a base block 21 adapted to be mountedon the base 1 under the ram 4. The base block is provided with a channel22 in substantially centered relation with the line of type 9 The baseblock may be held in place by screws 23 exposed at the bottom of thechannel 22 and extending into the base 1. The channel 22 is adapted toreceive interchangeable anvil bars 24. For example, an anvil bar may beprovided with a work supporting rib 25 in registry with the line of type9 as shown in Figures 1 through 7, or may be provided with a workreceiving groove 26 also disposed for registry with the line of type asshown in Figures 8 and 9, or may be constructed as shown in Figures 10,11 and 12 and described in more detail hereinafter.

Adjacent each end of the base block, there is pro vided a cross channel27. The interchangeable-bars 24 project into the cross channels but areprovided with lateral clearance notches 28. Each cross channel 27receives a pair of guide jaws 29 which are slideable therein to and fromthe anvil bar 24-.

The front and rear sides of the base block are provided with bearingplates 30 which journal adjustment screws 31 extending longitudinally inthe cross channels 27. it will be observed that the cross channels arecut entirely through the base block except for a central web 32 whichjournals the central portions of the adjustment screws 31. Theadjustment screws are provided with opposed, that is right and left,screw threads and the lower extremities of the guide jaws are similarlyscrew threaded. In order to minimize free movement or play of theadjustment screws, their extended ends are provided with compressionsprings 33. Their opposite, or forward ends, are provided with knobs 34.The adjustment screws 31 are so arranged that they cause the guide jaws29 to move toward or from each other but to remain substantiallyequidistant from the vertical plane passing through the central line oftype 9.

Each pair of guide jaws is provided with aligned clearance groovesthrough which extends a roller bar 35 journaled at its extremities inthe bearing plates 30. The roller bars may be retained in place by levermembers 36 mounted on the front bearing plate. By moving these levers toone side, the roller bars may be removed.

The rear bearing plate supports a foil guide bar 37, preferably by meansof journal brackets 38 and 39, one of which is pivotable (as shown inFigure 4) so that the foil guide bar may he slipped from the otherjournal bracket and tilted (as shown in Figure 4) to facilitateplacement of the foil ribbon. s V

The interchangeable anvil bars 24 are secured in place by thumb screws40, accessible from the front side of the base block 21.

Reference is directed to Figures 10, 11' and l2.v The anvil bar 24 ishere shown as provided with a guard plate 41, yieldably supported at itscorners above the anvil 3 bar by springs 42 and limited in its upperposition by pins 43. The guard plate 41 is provided with a central slot44, large enough to accommodate the line of type 9.

In use, the tubing is passed under the plate in registry with the slot44. The ram or margins of the type, beyond the actual printing surface,engages the plate, causing the plate to depress and flatten the tube forprinting.

Operation of my work holding fixture for foil stamping machines is asfollows:

If it is desired to imprint indicia on tubing for assembling a plastictubing, an anvil bar having work supporting rib 25 or the anvil bar(shown in Figures 16, 11 and 12) is selected. The anvil bar is securedin the channel 22 and the work fed under the roller bars 35 and over theanvil bar. The guide jaws 29 are adjusted so as to bear against oppositesides of the tubing (as shown in Figures 1 and 3). The roller barspreferably depress the tubing slightly so that although the tubing maybe readily drawn through the fixture, it is sufiiciently restrained asto remain in place during the stamping operation. Stamping isaccomplished by forcing the heated type 9 downwardly against the foil12, forcing the foil against the surface of the tubular workpiece.

If it is desired to foil stamp wire, for example, plastic covered wire,an anvil having a work-receiving groove 26 is selected. An anvil isprovided for each size of wire and the height of the work-receivinggroove is such that the wire is engaged by the roller and bars 35. As inthe case of work in the form of plastic tubing, the guide jaws 29 aremoved into engagement with the wire so as to aid in maintaining the wirein the groove and provide the desired frictional resistance to itsmovement.

Having fully described my invention, it is to be understood that I donot wish to be limited to the details herein set forth, but my inventionis of the full scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a foil stamping machine having a stamping headadapted to carry a line of type, of a holding fixture for tubular orrod-like workpieces, comprising: a base block having a longitudinallyextending anvil channel, and a pair of transversely extending crosschannels, one near each extremity of said anvil channel; an anvilfitting said anvil channel and traversing said cross channels, saidanvil having means for supporting a tubular or rod-like work piece inregistry with said line of type; roller bars disposed in alignment withsaid cross channels and cooperating with the end portions of said anvilto depress said work piece; guide jaws slidable in said cross channelsand guided in part by said roller bars, said guide jaws adapted toextend over the end portions of said anvil to engage the sides of saidwork piece thereby to center said work piece on said anvil; and meansfor advancing and retracting said guide aws.

2. The combination with a foil stamping machine having a stamping headadapted to carry a line of type, of a holding fixture for tubular orrod-like work pieces, comprising: a base block having a longitudinalanvil channel disposed under said line of type and transverse channelsat the extremities thereof; ananvil adapted to be secured in said anvilchannel and having end portions projecting into said transverse channel,said anvil adapted to receive a tubular or rod-like work piece disposedlengthwise in centered relation with said line of type; a pair of guidejaws mounted in each transverse channel and having work-engaging tipsextending over the end portions of the anvil to engage opposite sides ofsaid work piece; means for varying the space between each pair ofwork-engaging tips to accommodate work pieces of different diameters;and depresser rollers above the end portions of said anvil and havingaxestraversing the .work piece thereon to hold the work piece on saidanvil and between the work-engaging tips of said guide jaws.

3. The combination with a foil stamping machine having a stamping headadapted to carry a line of type, of a holding fixture for tubular orrod-like work pieces, comprising: a base block having a longitudinalanvil channel disposed under said line of type and transverse channelsat the extremities thereof; interchangeable anvils for said anvilchannel adapted to hold specific types of tubular and rod-like workpieces and having means for hacking a work piece under said line oftype; a pair of guide jaws mounted in each transverse channel and havwork-engaging tips extending over the ends of said anvil to engageopposite sides of work disposed on said anvil; and means for varying thespace between each pair of work-engaging tips to accommodate differentdiameters of work pieces.

4. The combination with a foil stamping machine having a stamping headadapted to carry a line of type, of a holding fixture for tubular orrod-like work pieces, comprising: a base block having a longitudinalanvil channel disposed under said line of type and transverse channelsat the extremities thereof; an anvil adapted to be secured in said anvilchannel and receive a work piece extending longitudinally thereover; ascrew shaft having opposed pitch screw threads disposed in eachtransverse channel; a pair of guide jaws including work-engaging tipsextending over the ends of said anvil, said guide jaws being slidable ineach transverse channel and screwthreaded on said shaft for simultaneousmovement to and from said anvil to accommodate work pieces of differentdiameters; and depresser rollers positioned above the ends of said anvilto hold the work piece against said anvil.

5. The combination with a foil stamping machine having a stamping headadapted to carry a line of type, of holding fixture for tubular orrod-like work pieces, comprising: a base block having a longitudinalanvil channel disposed under said line of type and transverse channelsat the extremities thereof; interchangeable anvils for said anvilchannel adapted to hold specific types of tubular and rod-like workpieces and having means for backing a work piece under said line oftype; a screw shaft having opposed pitch screw threads disposed in eachtransverse channel; and a pair of guide jaws slidable in each transversechannel and screwthreaded on said shaft for simultaneous movement insaid transverse channels to and from said anvil; said guide jawsincluding worleengaging tips extending over the ends of said anvil toengage opposite sides of work pieces positioned thereon.

6. The combination with a foil stamping machine having a stamping headadapted to carry a line of type, of a holding fixture for tubular orrod-like work pieces, comprising: a base block having a longitudinalanvil channel disposed under said line of type and transverse channelsat the extremities thereof; interchangeable anvils for said anvilchannel adapted to hold specific types of tubular and rod-like workpieces and having means for backing a work piece under said line oftype; a screw shaft having opposed pitch screw threads disposed in eachtransverse channel; a pair of guide jaws slidable in each transversechannel and screwthreaded on said shaft, said guide jaws includingworkpiece-engaging tips extending over said anvil and simultaneouslymovable on turning of said shaft to accommodate work pieces of differentdiameters; and depresser rollers extending over said anvil to hold saidwork pieces on said anvil and between said workpiece-engaging tips.

7. A combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said anvil is adaptedfor yieldable tubular work pieces and is provided with a raised anvilrib.

8. A combination as set forth in claim 4, wherein: said anvil is adaptedfor yieldable tubular work pieces and a guard plate is disposed oversaid anvil; springs supporting said guard plate, saidguard plate beingapertured to exose a section of said work piece in registry with saidline of type, and said guard plate being engageable by said stampinghead and depressable to flatten said work piece.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Steeleet al. Nov. 15, 1904 Shufelt Nov. 22, 1910 6 Gross Dec. 30, 1913Woodworth Sept. 18, 1928 Halvorsen Oct. 29, 1929 Halvorsen Aug. 19, 1930Mintz Dec. 24, 1935 Kingsley July 14, 1936 Kingsley Feb. 28, 1939Kingsley- Aug. 1, 1950

